Transfer switch package assembly

ABSTRACT

A transfer switch package assembly employs a printed circuit panel support buried in the assembly base and supporting on one end a plurality of binding posts and at the other metalsurrounded holes for quick and accurate connection of conductive paths from said posts to connector taps or pins on a transfer switch body.

O U110: States Patent 1 51 3,639,716 Rasmussen 1 1 Feb. 1, 1972 [S4]TRANSFER SWITCH PACKAGE 3,417,192 12/1968 Elm ,.174/59 ASSEMBLY2,907,855 10/1959 Hedges ..200/l68 R 3,553,409 1/1971 Learfeld........200/l68 G [72] Inventor: Harry R. Rasmussen, 422 Fife Heights3,310,712 3/1967 Paddock ..174/ 153 G Drive N.E., Tacoma, Wash. 98222Primary ExaminerH. 0. Jones [221 1971 Attorney-Ford E. Smith [21 Appl.No.: 128,758

[57] ABSTRACT 52 us. Cl ..200/l68 13,339/17 F A "ansfer switch P 'fassembly emphys a Primed l Cl H 0 1h 2 pane! support buried in theassembly base and supporting on I} one end a plurality of i di gp d at hother metabsup held of Search "200/168 168 168 168 G; rounded holes forquick and accurate connection of conduc- 174/59, 153 339/17 F tive pathsfrom said posts to connector taps or pins on a transfer switch body.-[56] References Cited 4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS3,353,069 11/1 67 Slavin ..339/l7 F X 'I'RANSFER SWI'ICII PACKAGEASSEMBLY SUMMARY ()I-"I'Hli INVENTION Transfer switch assemblies of theprior art have been cumbersome and bulky and have required running bywire the numerous circuits from switch taps, an operation requiringskill and care to insure connection of the properly related posts andtaps. It has been a prime object of this invention to provide a compact,miniaturized, easily manufactured and simply installed transfer switchpackage assembly. The employment of a printed circuit panel between thebinding posts and the switch taps and the manner in which such panel isincorporated is the principal feature of this invention.

In the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective vie of the switch assembled;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the base block of the switch;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the base block on line 3-3 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the printed circuit panel;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the switch unit;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the base block and circuit panel; and

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of an assembled switch, partsbeing omitted for convenience of illustration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The dielectric base block 10 has a shallowunderside cavity or chamber 12 which, at its forward end, is associatedwith the upright slot aperture l4. On the upper side of block 10 forwardof slot 14 is a canted or sloped base 16 having notch 18 therein toreceive and mount switch unit 20 with its stem 22 being disposed in saidnotch. The body or case of switch unit 20 rests on base I6 and againstthe rear of notch 18 between sidewalls 24, 24. Stem 22 is threaded andreceives washer 28 and, ultimately, nut 30 when the assembly iscompleted.

Base block 10 to the rear of slot 14 has two groups of hollow bosses 32,32 which receive and encase insulatively threaded binding posts 34, 36and 38. Posts 34-38 are introduced into the bosses and their cavitiesfrom beneath. Posts 34, 36 and 38 are threaded to receive connectorscrews 40. The bosses 32, 32 are separated by channel 42 in which wiresare threaded in making connections to the posts 34-38.

Referring to FIG. 4, circuit diagram support 50 has six broad metallicareas 52 printed thereon, each to receive and have soldered thereto oneof the posts 34-38 of the two groups. Suitable printed metal conductorpaths 54 extend from each of the areas 52 to a metal-encircled port 56.Support 50 is formed of a thin plastic material such as Mylar. At itsrear it is quite broad (as shown in FIG. 4) and forwardly is necked at58 and terminates in tab 60.

As may be seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, support 50 has its main body disposedin cavity 12, its neck 58 lies between the protuberances 62, 62 and inslot 14 with the tab end 60 bent up and pressed against the rear ofswitch body 20. The latter has rearstanding taps or pins 21 which enterholes 56 and with solder connections therearound being formed, completecircuits between bosses 34-38 along paths 54.

When assembly has reached the pint described a thin nonconductive fillerplate 13 is inserted into cavity 12 to conceal the underside of support50 and slot 14. Such a plate may be supplied with protectedpressure-sensitive adhesive 15 for ready mounting of the switch body, ason the side of a telephone instrument for example. Base 10 is, however,also provided with holes 64, 64 to receive screws whereby mounting maybe nonadhesively accomplished.

Switch 20 is of the double-pole, double-throw type and includes togglelever 66 protruding from stem 22.

Cover 70 has a forward hole to fit over stem 22 and is internally sizedand shaped to fit over the periphery of base 10. It is held in place bynut 30. At its rear cover 70 has a notch 72 whereby a cable 74 may belet into the housing.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that in an assembly aproximately 2% liiinch longby l% inch wide and 3/4 inch hig the presentinvention avoids the cumbersomeness and bulkiness of the priorconventional transfer switches, that it eliminates the complicated,difficult and skill-required operations of the past in both assembly andinstallation, and that highly useful and practical switch assembly inminiature is supplied.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention forillustrative purposes, it is to be understood that the inventive conceptmay be employed in other forms. All such as will occur to those skilledin this art are intended to be covered by this patent, construing thesame with a reasonably appropriate application of the doctrine ofequivalents.

What is claimed is:

l. A transfer switch package assembly, comprising:

a dielectric base block having a manually operable switch unit mountedat one end on its upper surface and at least a pair of binding postsremote from said' switch unit mounted upon the same surface of said baseblock and extending downward therethrough;

said base block having an upright slot aperture disposed transverselytherethrough and located between said switch unit and said bindingposts;

said switch unit having connector prongs directed toward said slot;

a flexible interconnection mounting panel having at least a pair ofconductive connecting paths disposed on a predetermined surface of saidpanel board, said paths terminating at both ends in flat, solderablelands;

said panel having the lands at one en of said paths disposed against thelower ends of said binding posts and its other end flexed and passedupwardly through said slot to dispose matched lands thereon proximal toprongs of said switch unit; and

solder bonding means joining (a) said binding posts to the related landsat one end of said panel and (b) said proximate prongs to the matchedlands at the other end of said panel.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 in which the base block is providedwith a notched wall an said switch unit is disposed and clamped in thewall notch.

3. The assembly according to claim 1 in which there are at least threepairs of binding posts mounted upon said base block and said switch unitis a double-pole, double-throw device having a matching number of saidprongs thereon.

4. The assembly according to claim I in which there is a cavity in saidbase block beneath said binding posts to receive said panel and saidslot communicate forwardly with said panel.

* B i i i

1. A transfer switch package assembly, comprising: a dielectric baseblock having a manually operable switch unit mounted at one end on itsupper surface and at least a pair of binding posts remote from saidswitch unit mounted upon the same surface of said base block andextending downward therethrough; said base block having an upright slotaperture disposed transversely therethrough and located between saidswitch unit and said binding posts; said switch unit having connectorprongs directed toward said slot; a flexible interconnection mountingpanel having at least a pair of conductive connecting paths disposed ona predetermined surface of said panel board, said paths terminating atboth ends in flat, solderable lands; said panel having the lands at oneen of said paths disposed against the lower ends of said binding postsand its other end flexed and passed upwardly through said slot todispose matched lands thereon proximal to prongs of said switch unit;and solder bonding means joining (a) said binding posts to the relatedlands at one end of said panel and (b) said proximate prongs to thematched lands at the other end of said panel.
 2. The assembly accordingto claim 1 in which the base block is provided with a notched wall ansaid switch unit is disposed and clamped in the wall notch.
 3. Theassembly according to claim 1 in which there are at least three pairs ofbinding posts mounted upon said base block and said switch unit is adouble-pole, double-throw device having a matching number of said prongsthereon.
 4. The assembly according to claim 1 in which there is a cavityin said base block beneath said binding posts to receive said panel andsaid slot communicate forwardly with said panel.